I wanted more from life
than four kids and wife
and a job in a dark Kentucky mine.
A 20 acre farm, with a shaggy house and barn.
That's all I had and all I left behind.
But at gamblin' I was lucky
and so I left Kentucky.
And left behind my woman and my kids.
Into the gay casino
in Nevadas town of Rino.
This Kentucky gambler planned to get rich quick.

[Chorus]
Kentucky gambler, who's gonna love your woman in Kentucky?
And who's gonna be the one to give her everything she needs?
Kentucky gambler, who's gonna raise your children in Kentucky?
Yeah who's gonna keep them fed and keep them shoes on their feet?

There at the gambler's paradise
lady luck was on my side
and this Kentucky gambler played just right.
Hey I won at everything I played
I really thought I had it made
but I shouldda quit and gone on home that night.

But when you love the green back dollar
sorrows always bound to follow
and Reno's dreams turned into neon amber.
And lady luck, she'll lead you on
she'll stay awhile and then she's gone
"You better go on home Kentucky gambler".

But a gambler never seems to stop
'til he loses all he's got.
And with money and a hungry fever, I played on.
I played 'til I'd lost all I'd won
I was right back where I'd started from.
And then I started wantin' to go home.

Kentucky gambler there ain't nobody waitin' in Kentucky.
When I ran out somebody else walked in.
Kentucky gambler looks like you and really very lucky.
And it seems to me a gambler loses much more than he wins.